By Tomila Lankina Local government is an important but often overlooked aspect of Russia's transition to democracy. Over the past decade, municipal authorities in Russia have been buffeted by the pressures of state budget cuts on the one side and the ambitions of regional governors... MORE

By Oleg Varfolomeyev To stay afloat, the Ukrainian cabinet chaired by former Donetsk governor Viktor Yanukovych must constantly keep an eye on Viktor Medvedchuk, the ambitious head of the presidential office. The Ukrainian economy has performed quite well under Yanukovych, but it is becoming increasingly... MORE

By Nikolai Petrov The war in Iraq has had a strong impact on the domestic politics of many countries, including Russia. Its influence can be seen, for example, in the postponement of Vladimir Putin's annual address to the Federal Assembly; in the demarche of the... MORE

By Alexander Kynev The role of political parties in regional elections has acquired particular significance over the past year and as Russia's December 2003 State Duma elections approach. Two contradictory trends are apparent. On the one hand, there has been a weakening of party structures... MORE

By Taras Kuzio The crucial event in Ukraine's political evolution will be the presidential election scheduled for October 2004. A study of previous elections from the past decade reveals some underlying patterns in Ukraine's electoral politics that will likely shape the outcome of this pivotal... MORE

By Emil Danielyan Armenia's democratic credentials have been dealt a severe blow by the results of last month's presidential election, which is widely seen as having been fraudulent. The ruling regime, led by the controversially reelected President Robert Kocharian, has once again demonstrated that it... MORE

By Pavel K. Baev Despite all the excitement the Second Gulf War is generating, it may be worthwhile to take a moment to reflect on the desperate maneuvering that took place in the UN Security Council in the final prewar weeks. It is too easy... MORE

by Elena Chinyaeva On March 23, a referendum took place in the war torn Chechen republic in the south of Russia. Voters were presented with three questions, involving: Approval of a draft new Constitution, a draft law on the election of the president, and a... MORE

By Oleg Varfolomeyev Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has come up with a plan seemingly designed to reduce the powers of the president and to boost those of the parliament. But the parliament, which is torn by factional rivalries and hosts several presidential hopefuls, is unlikely... MORE

by Terry D. Clark and Grazvydas Jasutis Despite the apparent unity of the Baltic states, Lithuania has become the clear leader in the region's efforts to gain membership in NATO. This is largely due to differences in social structure--specifically, the fact that Lithuania has a... MORE